Journal ID : AMA-14-10-2025-13673
[This article belongs to Volume - 56, Issue - 10]
Total View : 359

Title : Molecular identification and Phylogenetic Relationships of Erysiphe pisi causing Powdery mildew of Fieldpea (Pisum sativum L.)

Abstract :

Powdery mildew fungi, primarily belonging to the genus Erysiphe, are among the most destructive obligate biotrophic pathogens, infecting a wide range of plants and causing significant yield losses worldwide. Accurate species-level identification is essential for understanding host specificity, disease epidemiology, and devising management strategies. However, morphological features used in traditional taxonomy are often insufficient, as conidial morphology and chasmothecial characters may be variable or absent under natural conditions. Molecular tools, especially sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, have greatly improved the resolution of fungal taxonomy and are widely applied in powdery mildew systematics. In the present study, we analyzed 17 Erysiphe isolates collected from Fieldpea in Central U.P region to assess their molecular diversity and phylogenetic affiliations. ITS sequences were subjected to BLAST searches, multiple alignment, and phylogenetic reconstruction using the Maximum Likelihood method with bootstrap support.. The isolates grouped into major clades, corresponding to known species such as E. pisi. The study demonstrates the presence of substantial sequence variation among Erysiphe isolates and underscores the utility of ITS-based molecular identification in resolving complex taxonomic relationships. Our findings contribute to the understanding of Erysiphe diversity in Central U.P region and provide a foundation for future studies on host–pathogen interactions and disease management.

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